Sunday, February 6, 2011

Blasphemy - Rajpal attacked thrice?

Mahasha Rajpal, publisher of the pamphlet "Rangila Rasul" made it three times to the New York Times:
September 27, 1927 after he was stabbed, and April 7 and April 8, 1929 after his murder.  From these I learn something that I have not seen mentioned elsewhere.

The September 27, 1927 story says that Rajpal was stabbed "while in a bazaar in the city of Lahore this morning [Sept 26] by a Mohammedan.  He received three wounds, two of them severe, but probably will recover.  The assailant was arrested"

The April 7, 1929 story, after Rajpal was murdered by Ilam Din (variants: Alimuddin, Ilamuddin, etc.) recalls the 1927 attack.

The April 8, 1929 story, on the riot** that accompanied Rajpal's funeral, tells us:
"Two previous attempts were made on Rajpal's life—in September, 1927, by a Moslem sentenced to seven years in prison and a month later by a Pathan, who received fourteen years."
None of the accounts I've been able to find mentions either of the two attacks.  Since the September 1927 story is accompanied by an immediate newspaper story, I think it definitely happened.  The attack, a month later, October 1927?, I would like to get a second source.  All curious is why none of the material I've been able to find mentions these two attacks.

** The riot appears to have been between the funeral procession and the police.
"Nearly 100 persons were injured today in disorders in connection with the funeral of Rajpal.  The authorities had prohibited processions for a week, but many followers of the author marched in a procession with an empty bier.  The police broke up the march with their sticks."


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